Clemens joeegens



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 0., JOERGENS. BILLIARD TABLE.

Patented Sept. 12, 1882.

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(No Medal.)

' V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. JOERGENS.

BILLIARD TABLEL' Patented Sept. 12, 1882.

N. PEYERS, Photo-whom. Wahinflnn. n.6,.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLEMENS JOERGENS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO NATHANUNDERWOOD, JR., OF SAME PLACE.

BlLLlARD-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 264,165, datedSeptember 12, 1882.

Application filedJuly31,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLEMENS JoERGENs, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Billiard-Tables; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

The nature of the invention relates to the construction of billiard andcarrom tables; and it is my object to produce such a table that hasincreased strength and durability, is simplified in its construction soas to reduce the cost of manufacture, thatfaeilitates the quickly takingapart and setting up again of such tables, that is ornamental in itsappearance, and that can be changed quickly from a billiard to a carromtable.

The main features of my invention therefore consist,first, in thepeculiar device of connecting together the four rails that form the mainframe by dovetailed wedge-plates; second, in

the cast-iron legs, that are provided with the pockets for the balls todrop into, and in the device for securing such legs to the frame; third,in the manner for holding the slate or marble slabs that form the tableto the frame without screws; and, fourth, in the cushionedcorner-pieces, and in the device of securing them, for readily changingthe billiard into a carrom table, all as hereinafter will be describedand specifically claimed.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 represents an oblique elevation ofone corner of the billiard-table Fig. 2, a miter sectional view through.the same; Fig. 3, a section on line m at in Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5, amiter section and plan of one corner of the billiard-ta" ble as changedinto acarrom-table; Fig. 6, a section on line y y in Fig. 7; Fig. 7, aplan of one corner of the billiard-table as changed into a carrom-tableand Fig. 8, a plan view of the billiard-table, the cushion-frame beingremoved.

Corresponding letters in the several figures of the drawings designatelike parts.

A A denote the side and end rails that compose the main frame. Theserails are mitered together so as to stand on a bevel of about forty-fivedegrees, and to their ends are secured triangular miter-blocks a a,which, where they face each other, are connected by dowel-pins I), andto their inward sides these blocks are provided each with a projectingridge in a manner that the adjoininginward faces of two such blocks forma dovetailed somewhat tapering jutty, 19, over which a dovetailedclampplate, B, is fitted, that in being driven downward will draw therails A together, so as to be rigid with each other. Upon this beveledrectangular frame A is secured the frame 0,- that supports the marble orslate slabs D. These slabs D heretofore were secured upon the woodenframe by screws or bolts that were passed through countersunk holesdrilled into such slabs, while 1 secure such slabs by formin g bevelededges to their ends, that are placed under the beveled-edged strips d,which are fastened upon frame 0 by wood-screws.

E are the cushion-rails, that are secured upon the strips d and frame 0by joint-bolts e,

and against such rails E are secured the rubber cushionsf, in the usualmanner. The under side of rails E, that projects over the edges ofstrips d, is grooved for inserting the edge of a slat or board, g, whichis to cover the edges of the frame (3 and strips cl, and is fastened onits bottom edge by screws passed through extension-ears of washers h,that are placed under the heads of joint-bolts e. Holes G are outthrough the frames 0 and strips al-oneat each corner and two oppositeeach other at the mid-length of the table-and acorresponding segmentalnotch is out in the cushion-rails E, that is lined with a leather band,0, while the rubber cushions fare cut to leavea parallel passage towardsuch holes G, which passage is made wider close to the table than ontop, so as to be dovetail-shaped.

F is one of the legs, having an ornamental top with scroll-work, andwith theimitation of a human head, 42, facing from each corner, whilethe leg proper is curved inwardly and imitates at its bottom a horsesfoot, to. The

2 scares foot to and the top of such leg are connected l for themanufacturer, but also for the player by a slender column, 2, which willadd considerably not only to the strength and stiffness of the leg, butalso to the ornamentation of the same. These legs I cast of iron, andcore them out so as to be a light shell, with flanges '6 inside, uponwhich the bottom edges of the main-frame rails A will rest. Such frame Ais secured upon the leg by a'screw-bolt, K, that is passed through ahole in the miterblocks a, and through an eye-lug, Z, inside of the leg,with a nut, m, underneath such eyelug, by which such leg and frame canbedrawn together vertically. The ornamental top of the leg F also hasflanges j, which are rectangular with each other and downwardlyinclinedto fit over and against the rails A at the corner of the billiard-table,and to be secured thereto by wood-screws n. The projecting h ead c ofthe leg F is designed to be just below the hole G of the table, and isdesigned to form the pocket into which the balls will drop.

For changingthe billiard into a carrom table, I provide corner-pieces H,of wood, that fit exactly into the segmental notches in cushionrails E,and have rubber cushions q attached, that will fill the space betweenthe cushions f of the table, so as to'make such cushions continuous.These cushions g on their ends being cut wider at the bottom than ontop, such corner-pieces, while being pushed into position to cover thepocketholes G, will be held down upon the table in the dovetailedpassage between theends of suchcushionsf. Upon each corner-piece H issecured a plate, 1', that has eye-lugs, and between these eye-lugsispivoted a latch, s, havinga spring underneath, and a knob, t, to itsend, with a downwardly-projecting stud, that will enter a hole in platea, secured upon the cushion-rail E. By this de vice the corner-piece islocked in its position over the hole G, and is easily removed forplaying pool. The pocket-holes G, that are mid-length of the table, areto be closed by similar cushion-pieces in a like manner, whichcushion-pieces are to be held in their respective'positions bya similardevice as described for the corner-pieces.

The table and cushions are to be covered with cloth in the usual manner.

The advantages obtained byconstructing a billiard-table in the mannerdescribed above will be readily seen by anybody who is familiar with thedevices heretofore carried out for building such tables, and need not becounted up much in detail; andI will only mention, as regards the legs,that a curved hollow leg will be very steady laterally, but will beelastic to some extent vertically; that a straight leg will beunyielding vertically, but is apt to allow vibration laterally; and thattherefore a curved leg braced by a column in the manner shown, willinsure positive steadiness in every direction; and that the arranging ofthe pockets as part of the legs is more convenient, not only to removethe balls without interfering with the game.

The advantages of the device of combining the side and end rails bydowel-pins and by plates having a dovetailed groove are obvious, as alsothe manner of tying the slate or marble slabs to the frame withoutscrews and the very simple device for changing the billiard or pooltable into a carrom-table.

What I claim is- 1. In a billiard-table, the main frame, composed of theside and end rails, A A, mitered together and having end miter-blocks,a, that in pairs form dovetailed jutties p, and connected by dowel-pinsb and dovetail-grooved plates B, all substantially in the manner described and shown.

2. In a billiard-table, the frame 0 for supporting the marble or slateslabs D, that have beveled end edges, and are secured upon suchframe 0by bevel-edged strips (7, substantially in the manner and for thepurpose set forth.

3. In a billiard-table, the combination, with frame 0 and strips d, ofthe cushion-rail E, secured upon such frame and strip by joint-bolts e,and having a groo e for inserting the top edge of board 9, the bottomedge of which bein g supported upon and secured by washer h,substantially in the manner and for the purpose shown and specified.

4. In a billiard-table, the frame A, supported upon the hollow castcurved legs F, being braced by columns 5, thesame being constructed andarranged substantially as setforth.

5. In a billiard-table, the curved legs F, having heads 1), that formthe pockets for the balls, substantially as set forth.

6. In a billiard-table, the hollow cast curved legs F, braced by columns2, and having heads a, that form the pockets for the balls,substantially as described and shown.

7. In a billiard-table, and in combination with its beveled frame A, thehollow cast legs F, having supporting-flanges '1 eye-lugs l for securingsuch frame A by bolts K, and side flanges, j, for wood-screws a, allsubstantially as and for the purpose described and shown.

8. In a billiard-table, and in combination with its beveled frame A, thehollow cast legs F, each having a head, 17, that forms the pocket forthe balls, supporting-flanges 'i, eye-lug l for securing s'uch frame bya bolt, K, and side flanges for wood-screws n, all substantially as andfor the purpose described and shown.

9. In a billiard-table, and in combination with its beveled frame A, thehollow cast curved legs F, each braced by arcolumn, z, and having aprojecting head, 12, that forms the pocket for the balls, such legsbeing provided with flanges i for supporting frame A,with eye-lugs l forsesecuring such frame by a bolt, K, and with side flanges, j, allconstructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose describedand shown.

10. As an attachment to billiard-tables, the In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as herein-described corner-blocks H, holding rubmyinvention I affix my signature in presence bers q, and being providedwith plate 1' and of two witnesses.

latch t, that engages with plate u, attached to CLEMENS J OERGEN S. 5cushion-rail E, all constructed and arranged Witnesses:

to operate substantially in the manner and for EDWARD WESTLAKE,

the purpose set forth. ,RIGHARD G. SGIIMID.

